Notes on the Rebel invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania : and the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1st, 2d and 3d, 1863 ...

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NOTES

ON THR

REBEL INVASION

OP

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA

AND THE

BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG

JULY 1st, 2d and 3d, 1863.

ACCOMPANIED BY AN

EXPLANATORY MAP.

BY

M. JACOBS,

PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND CHEMISTRY IN PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE, GETTYSBURG.

-♦. <*3^-n^.+.

PHILADELPHIA:

J. B. LIPPING OTT & CO.

1864.

BATTLE FIELD 01? GETTYSBURG

.Inlv P.'. 2":! 8 :'.r.'1 1863,

/

NOTES

ON THE

REBEL INVASION

OP

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA

AND THE

BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG

JULY 1st, 2d and 3d, 1863.

ACCOMPANIED BY AN

EXPLANATORY MAP.

13Y

M. JACOBS,

PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND CHEMISTRY IN PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE, GETTYSBURG.

■». ^3K> »♦ «»■■

PHILADELPHIA:
J. 13. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

1864.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1863, by

J. B. LTPPINCOTT & CO.,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District

of Pennsylvania.

INTRODUCTION.

The account of the battles at Gettysburg, pre-
pared by the Rev. Dr. Jacobs, Professor of Mathe-
matics in Pennsylvania College, will take a place
among historical documents of high permanent
value. It is the record of an eye-witness, made,
in large part, while the scenes he describes were
passing before him. The author is distinguished
as an acute observer, as a man of clear judgment
and of great conscientiousness, who is not only
scrupulous as to the substance of his statements,
but cautious in their tone and coloring. His
chronicle will be found a chronicle of facts. What
he knows is carefully sifted from what he conjec-
tures : of the former we have much, of the latter
almost nothing. The sequence of parts, and the
internal relations of the terrible struggle at Get-
tysburg, are presented by Professor Jacobs with

(iii)

IV INTRODUCTION.

a fidelity and simplicity which render his narra-
tive pre-eminent among the very many accounts
of the battles which have been written. The
chart, formed upon actual measurements, is of
great value ; and it will be found that the his-
torical notes, to which it is a companion, are
marked like it by that spirit of mathematical pre-
cision which is indispensable in military history.
The pilgrims who, with this little volume in
their hands, shall visit the memorable fields
whose undying story it tells, the thousands who
eagerly read all that bears upon the grandest
and most critical struggle of the most momentous
war in the annals of our race, will gratefully feel,
in common with the laborious searcher for truth,
the rare and true student of history, that Pro-
fessor Jacobs has rendered an invaluable service
in his unpretending and excellent work.

Charles P. Krauth.

Philadelphia, September 23cZ, 1863.

THE

REBEL INVASION

OF

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.

Shortly after the battle of Chancellorville, which,
although not a defeat of the Union army, neverthe-
less resulted, on account of several uncontrollable
causes, in the necessary withdrawal of our forces to
their former position on the left bank of the Rappa-
hannock, General Lee, of the Rebel army, determined
to invade the States of Maryland and Pennsylvania.
He seems to have been induced to enter upon this
perilous undertaking by several considerations. First,
he felt the increasing deficiency of cavalry and ar-
tillery horses, and of the means of subsisting his
army in an almost desolate territory from which
he had hitherto drawn his supplies ; secondly, there
was the alleged demoralization of General Hooker's
army after that battle ; thirdly, there was the evident
fact of the depletion of the Union army, by the return
to their homes of a number of regiments whose term
of service had expired ; and fourthly, there was the
apparent division of sentiment in the loyal States,
in regard to the conduct and continuance of the war,
and the strong undercurrent of sympathy manifested

(5)

b THE REBEL INVASION OF

for the success of the rebellion, engendered by an
intense partisan feeling, and the desire of office. Of
this division of sentiment he now determined to take
advantage, for he hoped to find ns as incoherent as
a rope of sand, and utterly unable to resist his pro-
gress as he swept over the land. And, unquestion-
ably, for some time it did appear as if his cherished
hopes would be realized ; for, when he was about to
cross the Potomac, evidently endeavoring to feel
his way, such was the apparent apathy that prevailed
amongst the people who were most in danger, that
it was almost impossible to arouse them to realize
their true situation, and to organize in the defence
of their homes.

So hopeful were the leaders of the rebellion in the
success of this, their project, that they did not deem
it necessary to keep their intentions a secret. Many
weeks before their attempted invasion, their news-
papers freely referred to it as an event that would
surely happen, and boasted loudly of the manner in
which they would fatten on the spoils they would
take from the rich farmers and well-filled storehouses
of the North.

At an early day, Lee began to arrange and perfect
his plans, and to remodel and strengthen his army;
so that, when his preparations were completed, he
found himself at the head of one of the best dis-
ciplined and most reliable armies the world ever
saw. With this he hoped to sweep, like a whirlwind,
over the fairest portions of our noble State.

Unmistakable signs of the coming storm began
to accumulate. Suspecting that an advance move-

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 7

ment was about to be made, General Hooker directed
that a cavalry attack should be made by General
Pleasanton against General Stuart, at Beverly Ford.
This attack, which was made June 9th, resulted
advantageously to the Federal arms ; and especially
in the capture of Stuart's private papers, amongst
which were found orders for an immediate advance
into Pennsylvania. This was a fortunate event,
since it enabled Hooker immediately to put his army
in motion, so as to prevent Lee, who had already
several days' start, from flanking him, and coming
in between him and Washington or Baltimore.
By hard marches, the Union army advanced so
rapidly as always to be on the flanks of Lee, and
to prevent him, eventually, from carrying out his
purposes.

Forewarned of the- approach of the invading army,
the "War Department, on the 11th of June, assigned
Major-General D. ST. Couch to the Department of the
Susquehanna, with his head-quarters at Harrisburg ;
and Major-General W. T. H. Brooks to the Depart-
ment of the Monongahela, with his head-quarters at
Pittsburg. On the next day were issued a procla-
mation of Governor Curtin, and a call of General
Couch, addressed to the people of Pennsylvania,
urging them to organize and to hasten to the defence
of the State, and, if possible, to drive back the in-
vader before he should touch our soil.

On the 13th of June, the Eebels reached Winchester,
Virginia, and gave battle to General Milroy, who oc-
cupied that post with a force of 8,000 or 9,000 men.
On that day the Rebels were repulsed ; but on the next

3 THE REBEL INVASION OF

day they renewed the attack, in which they were
feebly resisted by our forces, and which resulted in
the hasty flight of Milroy and his whole command.
He lost nearly all his ammunition and artillery, and
a small portion of his men. He succeeded in taking
several hundred with him to Harper's Ferry, and in
running his baggage train, by Hagerstown and Cham-
bersburg, to Harrisburg. About 2,000 infantry strag-
glers and cavalry succeeded in breaking through,
and effecting their escape to Bloody Eun, Pennsyl-
vania, where they were reorganized and joined by
recruits from the Pennsylvania militia.

The Rebel cavalry, 1500 in number, under the no-
torious General Jenkins, entered Hagerstown on the
15th of June, at 10J a. m., in pursuit of Milroy's wagon
train, and, moving onward rapidly, they reached
Chambersburg at 8 J p. m. Having thus advanced far
into an enemy's country without a support sufficiently
near, and -fearing an attack by our men, who were
beginning to organize in obedience to the Gover-
nor's call, they deemed it prudent to make a retro-
grade movement. Accordingly they evacuated Cham-
bersburg on the 17th of June ; and as they had already
gathered a large number of horses and cattle, which
they had taken violently and without compensation
from the farmers, it was vainly supposed, by many
of our people, that they now intended to withdraw
with their booty across the Potomac. They, how-
ever, retired only to the vicinity of Hagerstown,
there to await the arrival of Lee's army.

Previous to Saturday, the 20th of June, portions of
Jenkins' party had advanced as far as Waynesboro',

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 9

Franklin county, Pennsylvania, robbing the inhabi-
tants of horses, and of whatsoever else they saw fit
to take or to destroy. These, and other acts, some
of which consisted in a most wanton destruction of
articles of no value whatsoever to them, they per-
petrated in the face of their oft-repeated assurance,
that private property would be respected, that pri-
vate citizens should not be molested, and that they
would show themselves not to be such barbarians
as the Yankees had done whilst in their country.
They must have supposed us to be exceedingly
stupid, if they thought that our people could not
penetrate the shallow hypocrisy of these honeyed
words. After they had overrun and robbed the
country west of the South Mountain, and thoroughly
searched its numerous valleys for horses, which, they
had been informed .by disloyal citizens, had been
secreted there, they came down the southeastern
flanks of the mountain in search of bootv.

Saturday, June 20.

On the morning of this day, Major Haller, of the
United States Infantry, who, having been sent by
General Couch, arrived at Gettysburg on the previous
evening, addressed a public meeting at the Court-
house, advising all able-bodied male citizens to arm
themselves and to be ready, at a moment's warning,
for the defence of their homes and of the State. On
that day, a beginning was made in the formation of
a cavalry company, under Captain R. Bell, and there
was some reconnoitring by scouts and a few of our
citizens. An effort to form an infantry company,
2

10 THE REBEL INVASION OF

and to arouse the people generally, did not provo
successful. This failure was owing, at least, on the
part of the great majority, not so much to an un-
willingness to engage in the efforts to resist the
progress of the enemy, as to a reluctance to desert
their homes and their families in the hour of danger,
whilst they went to defend the less exposed parts of
the State ; for it was soon apparent that the military
authorities at Harrisburg, losing sight of the particu-
lar, and looking to the good of the whole, intended,
in the beginning at least, to make the Susquehanna
the base of defence against the invaders, whilst, for
the border towns and country, no immediate ade-
quate protection could be provided. For this seeming
neglect, there were not wanting some who soundly
abused the Government. And then, too, some were
unwilling, from political motives, either to go them-
selves, or to suffer their friends to go into an organi-
zation which might seem to be a support of the
Administration, or which might, perhaps, cause their
absence from home at the time of the Fall election.
Some also, who were brave and patriotic in words,
could not make up their minds to expose themselves
to the hardships of camp-life, and to the perils of the
battle-field. On the "Wednesday preceding (June 17),
however, a company of infantry, consisting of 60
students of Pennsylvania College, together with seve-
ral from the Theological Seminary, and a few citizens,
under Captain F. Klinefelter, a theological student,
left for Harrisburg, in obedience to the urgent call
of the Governor, and were the first to be mustered
\nto the service "for the emergency.,, In fact, pre-

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 11

vious to this date very little progress had been made
in the needful preparations for the defences even of
the Capital. A beginning had indeed been made,
as early as the 15th of June, in the construction of
breastworks and the digging of rifle-pits along the
river front, and on the opposite bank ; but the work
went on slowly, and it is questionable whether, when
the Rebels approached nearest the river, on Sunday,
June 28th, Harrisburg might not have been easily
taken. It was difficult to move the people, — for al-
though many companies and regiments, amongst
whom were several from New York and New Jersey,
reported themselves at the seat of government, it
was not until the enemy was at our very doors, and
three days before the battle of Gettysburg was begun,
that the people began to realize the magnitude of
their danger, and Philadelphia, which was a most
tempting bait for the invaders, began to pour forth
her men and treasures in real earnest.

Sunday, June 21.

Early on this morning, the Philadelphia City
Troop, consisting of about 40. members, arrived at
Gettysburg, affording us evidence that the border
was not entirely forgotten. These, together with
Bell's cavalry and some citizens, made a reconnois-
ance in the South Mountain as far as Monterey. They
there came up to the Rebel pickets, with whom they
exchanged some shots. At 6 p. m., about 120 Rebel
cavalry entered Fairfield, and retired again by the
Furnace road at 8 p. m., taking with them all the
good horses they could find.

12 THE REBEL INVASION OF

Monday, June 22.

Ewell's corps crossed the Potomac to-day, one por-
tion crossing at Shepherdstown, and another at
"Williamsport. The whole met and united at Hagers-
town, whence they again diverged in their progress
up the valley, towards Chambersburg.

The Pennsylvania and the New York militia, as
they reached Harrisburg, had been, as soon as prac-
ticable, organized by General Couch in two divisions,
one under General Smith, the other under General
Dana. On Saturday, the 20th of June, previous to
General Smith's being put in command, General
Knipe was sent up the valley from Harrisburg, with
two New York regiments, numbering about 800 men ;
first to reconstruct the railroad bridge at Scotland,
which the Rebels had burned, and then to occupy
and defend Chambersburg. Having, however, been
apprised of the approach of Rhodes' division of
Ewell's corps, and being unprepared to meet the
large force of the enemy which would soon be pre-
cipitated upon him, he deemed it advisable, late in
the evening of this day, to evacuate the town, and
gradually to move down the valley again.

Tuesday, June 23.

During the forenoon of this day, General Rhodes'
division entered and occupied Chambersburg. Du-
ring this and the previous day, various reconnois-
ances were also made from Gettysburg by Bell's
cavalry and the City Troop, the former having now
assumed an organized form. But although Major

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 13

Haller, who was acting under instructions from
General Couch, for the purpose of maturing the
necessary preparations for the defence of this part
of the border of the State, seemed to be active and
industrious, very little of any value was actually
accomplished in that respect. "Whether it was be-
cause of his incapacity for the position he held,
or indifference as to the result, was a matter of
conjecture. It is singular, however, that so soon
after the utterance of the remark, that he would
" first fight the Rebels, but, after the war, the Ad-
ministration," should have followed his dismissal
from the service "for disloyal conduct, and the
utterance of disloyal sentiments." Thus the golden
opportunity for efficient preparation passed away.

"Wednesday, June 24.

On the evening of this day, the 26th regiment,
P. Y. M., numbering 735 men, of which company
A was almost wholly composed of students from
Pennsylvania College, were sent to Gettysburg for
the purpose of helping to hold the enemy in check ;
but as the cars in which they were coming were
thrown from the track, at a point six miles below
Gettysburg, they encamped, and remained there
until Friday morning.

A. P. Hill's corps also crossed the Potomac to-day,
at a point one mile above Shepherdstown, Anderson
being in the advance.

Thursday, June 25.
Late on Thursday evening, however, 100 picked

14 TIIE REBEL INVASION OE

men from the 26th regiment were ordered up from
their encampment to Gettysburg, with the design
of sending them to the mountain as sharpshooters
or bushwhackers, in order to cut off theEebel pickets,
who, according to information then received, ex-
tended down the southeastern flanks of the moun-
tain, and were making gradual approaches towards
our town. But the heavy rain of that night caused
them to be detained until the balance of the regiment
arrived, and thus they were saved from almost cer-
tain capture or destruction.

The Rebels, under Rhodes, also to-day advanced
as far as Carlisle, on their way to Harrisburg.

Friday, June 26.

The 26th regiment arrived at Gettysburg, from
their camping-ground, at 9 a. m., and, by order of
Major Haller, although contrary to the earnest re-
monstrances of Jennings, Colonel of the regiment,
was sent forward, at 10 J a. m., on the Chambersburg
turnpike. This was a suicidal movement of a hand-
ful, chiefly of inexperienced men, in the face of a
large body of experienced troops. The Rebels after-
wards laughed at the folly of the order. But ad-
vancing to the distance of about three miles west-
ward, our little band encamped, and threw out their
pickets. At about 3 p. m., the Rebels in force made
their appearance, and captured nearly all their pickets,
40 in number. Colonel Jennings, who had, on seve-
ral occasions, shown himself to be an officer as skilful
as he is cool and brave, seeing the trap into which
he had been led, immediately, upon sight of the

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 15

enemy, divided the regiment into three squads, in
order to deceive them with the appearance of a
large body of infantry. The deception proved so
far successful that the Eebels did not press them,
fearing that a direct attack might prove more serious
than a mere skirmish. Jennings' band however,
hastily retreated eastward over the fields, and by
country roads, occasionally skirmishing with the
enemy's cavalry, which was sent in pursuit of them ;
and after losing 120 more of their number near
Tlunterstown, and zigzagging very frequently, being
often within hearing distance of their pursuers, they
reached Harrisburg on Sunday, the 28th of June,
much fatigued, having marched 54 out of 60 con-
tinuous hours. Too much praise cannot be awarded
Colonel Jennings, for the skilful manner in which
he conducted this retreat, and saved the regiment
from capture.

The advance guard of the enemy, consisting of
180 to 200 cavalry, rode into Gettysburg at 3J p. m.,
shouting and yelling like so many savages from the
wilds of the Rocky Mountains ; firing their pistols,
not caring whether they killed or maimed man,
woman, or child ; and rushing from stable to stable
in search of horses, the most of which, however, had
fortunately a few hours before been sent forward to
Hanover and York.

This advance party was soon followed by 5,000
infantry, being General Gordon's brigade of Early's
division of Ewell's corps. Most of the men were
exceedingly dirty, some ragged, some without shoes,
and some surmounted by the skeleton of what was

16 THE REBEL INVASION OF

once an entire hat, affording unmistakable evidence
that they stood in great need of having their scanty
wardrobe replenished; and hence the eagerness with
which they inquired after shoe, hat, and clothing
stores, and their disappointment when they were
informed that goods of that description were not to
be had in town ; and it ought not to have surprised
us that they actually took shoes and hats from the
persons of some of our Franklin county cousins,
whom they considered more able to endure the loss
than we, whilst they permitted us to escape that
infliction. Being wet from the rain which had fallen
during the most of the day, and considerably heated
by a long march, there was found, by a person near
them as they passed, to have been more truth than
fiction in the remark of a friend, that " the air was
filled with the filthy exhalations from their bodies.' '
"Whether this was a judgment dictated by prejudice,
or not, it was difficult for us to recognize, in the great
body of them, the character previously heralded in
our community by a lady sympathizer, of " chival-
rous Southerners, ail from the first families of the
South." But we do not intend to reproach them
for not presenting a better appearance ; they doubt-
less did the best they could, and had come a long
journey for the express purpose of supplying their
pressing wants.

General Early, who accompanied this brigade,
and remained in town over Friday night, demanded
of the authorities of our borough 1,200 pounds of
sugar, 600 pounds of coffee, 60 barrels of flour, 1,000
pounds of salt, 7,000 pounds of bacon, 10 barrels of

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 17

whisky, 10 barrels 6f onions, 1,000 pairs of shoes,
and 500 hats, amounting in value to $6,000 ; or, in
lieu thereof, $5,000 cash. To this demand Messrs.
D. Kendlehart and A. D. Buehler, as representatives
of the town council, replied in substance, that it was
impossible to comply with their demands ; that the
goods were not in town or within reach ; that the
borough had no funds, and the council had no au-
thority to borrow either in the name of the borough
or county ; and that, as we were at the mercy of the
General and his men, they could search, and take
from citizens and the empty stores whatsoever they
might be able to find. No attempt was made to
enforce the requisition, and but few of the houses
of citizens wTere robbed. "Whether this forbearance
was owing to the evident fact that he was outwitted
by our citizens, or from his generosity to our appa-
rent poverty, we will permit our York friends to
judge, to whom he is reported to have replied, when,
as a reason why he should not insist on the enforce-
ment of the large demand he had made of them,
they reminded him of his leniency towards us,
"Why, gentlemen, there was nothing there to
take." Be it so: Gettysburg escaped; and York
paid a premium of $28,000. During the evening of
Friday, however, the Rebels burned the railroad
bridge and a few cars, took from the few articles
that our merchants had not sent away such as suited
them, and divested the taverns and liquor stores of
their liquors. Besides this, they did not do much
damage in the town. In the country, however, they
treated the farmers less gently. They there re-enacted

18 THE REBEL INVASION OF

tlieir old farce of professing to pay for wliat they took,
by offering freely their worthless " Confederate "
scrip ; which, they said, would, in a few days, be
better than our own currency. In the town they
obtained but little booty, because all the valuables
of the Bank, and nearly all those of the merchants,
had been previously sent for safety to Philadelphia.
This proved a great disappointment to them ; and
they acknowledged that, for this time, they had been
too slow in their movements. They consequently
hurried forward, that night and the next morning,
towards Hanover and York. A portion of them
passed through Hanover at 11 A. m., reaching the
Northern Central Railroad at Hanover Junction,
early in the afternoon, whilst another portion went
to East Berlin, and on the next day, Sunday, reached
York.

Our citizens, with a few exceptions, kept at a re-
spectful distance from them during their stay amongst
us, avoiding as much as possible communicating any
information which might prove advantageous to
them; so much so, that they said: "It is a very
strange thing that you people know so little."

Saturday, June 27.

"Whilst the Rebels were going to Hanover and to
Hanover Junction, to destroy the bridges and rolling
stock of the Northern Central Railroad, three scouts
of our advance cavalry, nearEmmittsburg, came dash-
ing into town, at 9J a. m., to our great joy. "We felt
that we were once more within the Federal lines,
and more than one person exclaimed, " Thank God

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 19

for that." Two despatch-bearers, one of whom was
a chaplain, sent by General Ewell, then at Shippens-
burg, to General Early, were captured in our streets
by these scouts. The purport of their despatches
was, that General Early should not advance his
division too rapidly, as that might be attended with
some danger, in an enemy's country. In fact, some
of Early's men were overheard, in the streets of
Gettysburg, early on this morning, to say to each
other, that they were afraid that they had ventured
too far into Pennsylvania, and had been led into a
trap.

On this day, A. P. Hill's corps reached Chambers-
burg, and thence went to Fayetteville, where they
halted until Tuesday, the 30th of June.

Sunday, June 28.

Two regiments of Federal cavalry, numbering
about 2,000, under the command of General Cowp-
land, entered our village from the direction of
Emmittsburg, at 12 m., amidst the rejoicings of the
people, who distributed bread and pies amongst
them, whilst some of the youth sang patriotic songs.
They encamped east of the town, until the next
morning, when they all left, and moved towards
Littlestown. They had been sent forward on a re-
connoisance. At Fairfield, there was a slight skir-
mish between the Rebels and some of our cavalry.

On this evening, the camp-fires of an advance
party of A. P. Hill, then halting at Fayetteville, were
to be seen on the eastern slope of the mountain,
about a mile above Cashtown.

20 THE REBEL INVASION OF

General Early to-day also entered and occupied
York. A portion of his command was sent forward
to Wrightsville, probably to take and bold the Co-
lumbia bridge. A skirmish took place between them
and some of our troops under Colonel Trick. The
Colonel, finding that he would not be able to drive
them off, and hold the bridge, crossed over to Co-
lumbia, and permitted the bridge to be consigned to
the flames ; thus cutting off their hope of crossing
the river at this point, and ravaging the portion of
the State east of the Susquehanna. Whilst they
destroyed the bridges of the Northern Central Rail-
road, they forbore destroying the depot, and other
railroad property located in the town of York, only
because such an act might lead to a general confla-
gration of the town ; which they had pledged them-
selves to spare, in consideration of the bonus paid
them by its citizens. A skirmish also took place at
Oyster's Point, three miles from Harrisburg, with no
further result than that the Rebels retired.

Monday, June 29.

General Longstreet's corps having crossed the
Potomac, at Williamsport, and followed those of
Ewell and Hill, reached Fayetteville on this day.
We now began to see that the invading army was
concentrating itself on the turnpike road leading
through Gettysburg to Baltimore. At the same time,
also, the Union army was gradually moving towards
a point near our village. This, then, was the focus
towards which all these hostile rays tended, and at
which they at length became concentrated.

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 21

The Rebel encampments, by the aid of a field-
glass, were seen to have been considerably enlarged.
Hill had thrown a large portion of his corps, proba-
bly the whole of Heath's division, over the mountain.
Until the day of the battle, these were employed ill
foraging and gathering provisions for the army
amongst the farmers in the vicinity of Cashtown.
They seized beef-cattle, flour, and grain, took pos-
session of the mills near at hand, for the purpose
of grinding the stolen grain, and compelled the
farmers' wives to bake the flour into bread. They
were thus gathering stores, resting, and feeding them-
selves and their animals, and placing themselves in
readiness for an encounter with our forces.

Tuesday, June 30.

At 9J a. m., a portion of Hill's corps advanced on
the Chambersburg turnpike, as far as the crest of
the Seminary hill, one-half of a mile northwest of
Gettysburg, throwing about two dozen of infantry
pickets as far down as Mr. Shead's house. Several
officers on horseback were seen reconnoitring with
their field-glasses, and engaged in conversation with
the people residing near the road on the hill, elicit-
ing, no doubt, as .much information as they could
obtain. They brought with them 15 wagons, proba-
bly with the intention of coming to town and robbing
us of such merchandise and provisions as might have
been gathered or brought to light since Early's raid.
They were also accompanied with artillery, and
thus came prepared for any resistance which they
might encounter. This was also, perhaps, intended

22 THE REBEL INVASION OF

to be a reconnoisance in force, or a movement for
the purpose of taking possession of Gettysburg.
There must have been several thousand men in this
advance, for their line of march extended at least a
mile and a half in length. At 10| a. m., they again
withdrew towards Cashtown, undoubtedly aware of
the near approach of General Buford's Federal
cavalry, which arrived in about an hour afterwards.
This is shown to be highly probable, by the fact that
they attempted to form a decoy for him at Marsh
creek, where two regiments defiled under cover of
a hill, one to the right of the road, the other to the
left, whilst a third was sent a short distance forward
to induce pursuit by our men. In this position they
remained for about two hours, after which they with-
drew farther towards their camp.

At 11J A. M., 6,000 Federal cavalry, under General
Buford, arrived, passing through Washington street
to the Chambersburg turnpike, and by it one mile
and a half northwestward, as far as Hon. E. Mc-
Pherson's farm, where they encamped, and placed
their artillery in position. During the afternoon, the
First corps of infantry, numbering about 8,000 men,
under General Reynolds, and the Eleventh corps,
numbering about 15,000, under General Howard,
also came from Emmittsburg to the right bank of
Marsh creek, four miles southwest of Gettysburg,
and encamped there for the night.

By order of General Lee, Hill's corps, — consisting
of three divisions, in the following order: General
Heath, 10,000 ; Pender, 10,000 ; and Anderson, 15,000,
• — were moved to the vicinity of Marsh creek. On this

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 28

day Longstreet's corps followed, in the order of, first,
McLaws, 12,000 ; then Hood, 12,000 ; whilst Pickett,
7,000, delayed until Thursday, at Chambersburg, to
protect the rear, and the wagon trains. Two divi-
sions also of Swell's corps, viz. : Rhodes' and Early's,
the former numbering 10,000 men, and the latter
9,000, according to Rebel accounts, had encamped
for the night at Heidlersburg, nine miles from Get-
tysburg, whilst the third, Johnston's, 12,000, had been
delayed at Carlisle. Thus there were encamped, that
night, within a short distance of our town, 23,000
Union infantry, and 6,000 cavalry — 29,000; and
76,000 Rebel infantry, and a large number of cavalry,
ready to meet each other in deadly conflict on the
next day.

Wednesday, July 1.

At 9J A. M., skirmishing began between Buford's
dismounted cavalry and the advancing Rebels ; and
at 10 A. m., the artillery was brought into play. In
half an hour the First corps began to come up,
General Reynolds dashing through the town, whilst
his men moved over the fields from the Emmittsburg
road, in front of McMillan's and Dr. Schmucker's,
under cover of the -Seminary hill. The right moved
to the east of the turnpike and railroad, and formed
a line of battle behind a grove, and the left formed
on the crest of the hill near the Seminary. Both
wings then advanced, and the cavalry gradually fell
back to the rear. The extreme right rested on the
Chambersburg turnpike, and that of the left on the
Hagerstown road. For two hours these 8,000 men

24 THE REBEL INVASION OF

stood like a wall against a powerful enemy, glorying
in his strength. In the Rebel advance was Heath,
with his 10,000 men, — they pressed upon our right.
Later came Pender, with as many more, and pressed
our left. But though the enemy attacked us with
two men to our one, our left was able, during the
forenoon, and until 3 p. M., not only to hold its
own, but to drive back the enemy in their fearful
charges ; and in an effort of General Archer to flank
and capture one of our brigades, (the Iron Brigade)
they captured him and his whole brigade, now re-
duced to about 1,500 men. This took place in the rear
of the Seminary, near Wiloughby's run, at about the
middle of the day. The right, which was compara-
tively weak, having been opposed by a much stronger
force, although holding its position for a long while,
was several times driven back through the grove and
adjacent fields, down to the eastern base of the Sem-
inary ridge. It lost heavily in killed and wounded.
During these alternate advance and backward move-
ments, it lost, at one time, 1,900 prisoners, which were
afterwards retaken, and took a Mississippi regiment
of 800 men prisoners, who were sent to our rear.

It soon became apparent that our right was the
main object of the enemy's attack. As early as
10 a. m., the divisions of Rhodes and Early had
moved from Heidlersburg, by a rapid march, to
within a short distance of our right, and formed in
a suitable manner in a secluded valley, and under
cover of a hill, for the purpose of supporting Heath,
and making a flank movement on our men. Rhodes'
division, which was in the advance, entered the fight

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 25

about noon ; Early's did not participate until after
2 p. m. Our little Spartan band, being so hard pressed,
was about giving way on our right, when a portion
of the Eleventh corps, which had been unaccountably
delayed, came to its support. At 1p.m., two divisions
of this corps, under Generals Schurz and Barlow,
hurried through the town, and took position on our
extreme right, resting on the Mummasburg road ; and
by their support the tide of battle was stayed, until
Early's division took part in the fight. The other
division of the Eleventh corps, under General Stein-
wehr, by the prudent forethought and wise general-
ship of General Howard, was at once sent forward
to occupy Cemetery hill, on the south of the town,
and to provide for the contingency which happened
three hours afterwards, and which he must have
foreseen. Early in the morning, the hills surround-
ing Gettysburg had been carefully examined by the
General and his signal officers. At 8J A. m., one of
these officers was on the College cupola making ob-
servations, when his attention was specially directed
to that hill by one of the officers of the College, as
being of the highest strategic importance, and com-
manding the whole country around for many miles.
Doubtless he had satisfied himself of the pre-eminent
advantages it offered as a position of offence and
defence, and therefore determined to take and hold
it. To his happy forethought we may, in a great
measure, under God, attribute the favorable results
of the battles of the two succeeding days.

After Early's division had entered the fight, it soon
became evident that our right would be turned, and

4

26 THE REBEL INVASION OF

that our men must retire, or all be killed or captured ;
it was evident that the First corps, and the two
divisions of the Eleventh corps, numbering together
not more than 16,000 to 18,000 men, could not long
stand before the 40,000 of Heath, Pender, Rhodes,
and Early, combined. Before, however, the ordinary
observer would have thought of retreat, General
Howard ordered the heavy artillery to be removed
to the Cemetery hill, and a proper disposition of
Stein wehr's division to be made, with a view of sup-
porting our retiring men. As the pressure of the
advancing columns of the enemy became greater,
our men were forced to yield before them. The
First corps, for the most part, fell back through the
southwestern outskirts of the town, and took posi-
tion on the left and rear of Steinwehr; whilst the
Eleventh mostly crowded through "Washington and
Baltimore streets to the Cemetery hill, and took
position in front and on the right centre. Being very
much crowded in passing through the streets, and
somewhat confused, they were unable to repel the
enemy who were pressing hard upon them ; and, as
a consequence, about 2,500 were taken prisoners.

Almost in the very beginning of the engagement,
General Reynolds fell a victim to his cool bravery
and zeal. As was his custom, he rode in front of
his men, placing them in position and urging them
to the fight, when he was shot through the head, as
was supposed, by a Rebel sharpshooter, and died
shortly afterwards. He has been charged with rash-
ness, with foolhardiness, and with prematurely bring-
ing on the battle. But it would, perhaps, be more just

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 27

to say that lie had but little direct agency in bringing
it on ; that it was unavoidable ; that it was forced
on us by the Rebels ; that if they had not been held
in check that day, they would have pressed on and
obtained the impregnable position which we were
enabled to hold; and that, most of all, the hand of
Providence, who gave us at last a signal victory, was
in the arrangements of that day. After the fall of
General Reynolds, the chief command devolved on
General Doubleday until the arrival of General
Howard at 11J A. M.

During the fight of the first day, which lasted from
9 J a. m. to 4 p. m., our killed, wounded, and prisoners
greatly exceeded in number that of the enemy. They
called it a glorious victory; but, considering the
disparity of numbers, and the relative condition of
the men — theirs being fresh, and ours wearied by
hard marching— they had not much reason to boast.

At the close of the fight, Ewell's corps occupied
the town, and formed a line thence southeast to
Rock creek; Rhodes' division lay on the right,
occupying Middle street as far west as the Seminary
hill ; Early lay on the southeast of the town ; and
Johnston, who did not arrive until Thursday, occu-
pied the extreme .left of the line. It was Gordon's
and Hay's brigades of Early's division, of which the
former had paid us a visit on the Friday preceding,
that pressed our men through the eastern part of
the town. Hill's corps took position on the Seminary
ridge, in the following order : on the left, and resting
on the Chambersburg turnpike, was Heath; next
came Pender; and then Anderson, who had halted

28 THE REBEL INVASION OF

too long at Cashtown to participate in the fight of
to-day. McLaws' division of Longstreet's corps,
which also came late on Wednesday, was advanced
still further to the right. On the next morning,
when Hood's division of the same corps came, it
took a position to the right of McLaws\ (See the
accompanying map, from which it will appear that
this was substantially the disposition of the Rebel
forces on Thursday, July 2.)

That portion of Rhodes' division which lay down
before our dwelling for the night, was greatly elated
with the results of the first day's battle. And the
same may be said of the whole Rebel army. They
were anxious to engage in conversation — to com-
municate their views and feelings, and to elicit ours.
They were boastful of themselves, of their cause,
and of the skill of their officers ; and were anxious
to tell us of the unskilful manner in which some of
our officers had conducted the fight which had just
closed. "When informed that General Archer and
1,500 of his men had been captured, they said, " To-
morrow we will take all these back again ; and having
already taken 5,000 ( ! ) prisoners of you to-day, we
will take the balance of your men to-morrow.' ' Hav-
ing been well-fed, provisioned, and rested, and successful
on this day, their confidence knew no bounds ; they
felt assured that they should be able, with perfect
ease, to cut up our army in detail, — fatigued as it
was by long marches and yet scattered, for only two
corps had as yet arrived. Resting under this im-
pression, they lay down joyfully on the night of the
first day.

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 29

"What the feeling of our little army, as yet con-
sisting of only two corps, was on "Wednesday even-
ing, we are unable to state. To us it seemed as if
the Rebels would really be able to accomplish their
boast. "We were disheartened, and almost in despair.
But our men,who,whilst retreating through the town,
seemed to be confused and frightened, coolly and
quietly fell into position on the hill, when they found
themselves supported by two lines of battle formed
by Steinwehr, and by a sufficiency of artillery already
in place. They saw the pursuing Rebels suddenly
brought to a stand by the raking fire poured into
them by our men on the hill.

Soon after the battle had begun, the residents of
the west end of the town were advised by General
Reynolds to leave their residences, that the shot and
shell of the enemy might not reach and injure them,
and to retire to a position to the north and east of
the borough. Some, who in accordance with this
advice left their houses, found to their sorrow, when
afterwards they returned, that they had been pillaged
by the Rebels during their absence ; whilst most of
those who remained at home during the battles of
the three days, were enabled to save their property
from indiscriminate robbery and destruction. Whilst
actual fighting was going on, many of the women and
children went into the cellars as places of greatest
security; and nothing can be more remote from
the truth than the gratuitous slander put forth by
some reckless newspaper scribblers, and extensively
published abroad, that the male inhabitants ran off
like a set of cowards, and permitted the women and

30 THE REBEL INVASION OF

children to do as best they could. The truth requires
us to state that only a few of the male inhabitants
were absent from home, and they were either Govern-
ment officers, or such as had gone away with their
goods or horses to places of security. No one, as
far as we know, had forsaken his home and family
through fear or cowardice.

Thursday, July 2.

Wednesday night and Thursday morning were
devoted, by both armies, mostly to making active
preparations and arrangements for a renewal of the
terrible and bloody conflict. Breastworks were
constructed, rifle-pits dug, and artillery and the dif-
ferent corps placed in position.

General Slocum arrived with the Twelfth corps
before midnight. Upon him now devolved the
chief command, until the arrival of General Meade,
early in the morning (1 o'clock a. m.). General
Meade entirely approved the act of General Howard
in the selection of his position. General Slocum
immediately placed his corps on the right flank ; the
second division, under General Geary, occupying
Culp's hill; the first, under General Williams,
taking position near Spangler's spring, and the third
being thrown across Bock creek to Wolf hill.
Soon after the arrival of the Twelfth corps came
the Third, under General Sickles ; and, at 6 a. m.,
came Hancock, with the Second corps and the Re-
serve Artillery. Sickles at first took position on our
left centre, but when Hancock came he took the
place of Sickles, whilst the latter moved his corps

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 31

to our extreme left, resting on the rocky ridge imme-
diately north of Round Top, and generally called
Little Round Top. At between 4 and 5 p. m. the
balance of the Fifth corps, under General Sykes,
reached the battle-field, two brigades of the Penn-
sylvania Reserves, under General Crawford, and
now attached to this corps, having arrived in the
morning ; and at about sunset came the Sixth corps,
under General Sedgewick, and Lockwood's brigade,
from Maryland, which was temporarily attached to
the Twelfth corps. (For the positions of these
several corps the reader will do well to consult the
accompanying map.)

Early on Thursday morning, the Rebels began to
give evidence of an impression on their part, that
they might possibly have some hard work to do on
that day, although, on the previous evening, they
had spoken so lightly of it. They had ascertained
that our little band had been strongly reinforced
during the night and early morning. They com-
menced barricading Middle street, on its south
side, from the Seminary ridge on the west to Strat-
ton street on the east; they also broke down the
fences, on the north side, in order to enable them to
bring up reinforcements and to send back their men,
without subjecting them to a raking street fire from
ours, the houses and stables serving as a protection
to them. On the previous evening they had ex-
pected to attack and cut up our army in cletail. But
as the great body of the army of the Potomac had
already arrived, this hope had vanished, and they
saw that the contest would be a hard and bloody

82 THE REBEL INVASION OF

one between the two armies in their united
strength.

The morning was pleasant, the air was calm, the
sun shone mildly through a smoky atmosphere, and
the whole outer world was quiet and peaceful, —
there was nothing to foretoken the sanguinary
struggle that was to close the day. During the ear-
lier part of the day the enemy kept perfectly quiet,
and not a sound was to be heard, except the firing
between the pickets, and an occasional artillery shot
from our guns, for the purpose of feeling the where-
abouts and the strength of the enemy.

Having perfected his plans in silence, at twenty
minutes past 4 p. M. the enemy began the battle of
the 2d, by opening a terrific artillery fire upon our
guns, and soon afterwards by an infantry attack
upon our left. It had been suspected, from some
indications, that he was meditating a decisive stroke
on this wing. It became the duty of Sickles to
break the ominous silence, by throwing himself in
the way of ,the Rebels, and, if possible, to frustrate
their scheme. Soon the cannonading became gen-
eral along our left and centre, answered by the guns
of the Rebels, of which more than 100 were placed
in a circuit of more than three miles, on the Semi-
nary ridge round to the Harrisburg road, and on
the hills to the east of the town. Sickles' corps,
supported by a portion of the second, went forward
with determination to meet the advancing enemy,
and engaged them in a most terrific struggle at
Sherfy's peach-orchard and the adjoining grounds,
near the Emmittsburg road. Both parties fought

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 83

with a desperate determination to win, but at last
Sickles' men began to give way. Kallied by Mm in
person, they arrested and hurled back the advancing
column for a short time; but finding themselves
opposed by an overwhelming mass of the enemy,
consisting of Anderson's and McLaws' divisions,
numbering about 26,000 men, and being hard
pressed, they gave way a second time. This was a
most critical moment for our army. The point
aimed at by the enemy was to break our left and
flank us ; and this they would be able to accomplish,
if succor would not arrive speedily. The Fifth
corps of Sykes, arriving at this juncture, 5 p. M.,
was brought into action by a cross-road leading
from the Taneytown to the Emmittsburg road, at
Sherfy's peach-orchard, and passing to the north
of Little Round Top. But even with this support,
and other aid that was sent over from our right
during the terrific struggle, the enemy were near
being successful. Four pieces of Bigelow's battery
were taken, after having expended all his grape, but
afterwards they were recovered. The enemy had
driven our men before them, and, endeavoring to
come in between Round Top and Little Round
Top, they advanced to the summit of the latter.
At 6 p. M., General Crawford's division of the Fifth
corps, consisting of two brigades of Pennsylvania
Reserves, having until this time been held in
reserve, went into a charge with a terrific shout, and
drove the Rebels down the rocky front of that hill,
across the valley below, and over the next hill into
the woods beyond, taking 300 prisoners. This was
5

34 THE REBEL INVASION OF

the favorable moment, and the whole Rebel column
was forced to retire. Our left was saved from disas-
ter ; the fight, on that part of our lines, was glori-
ously ended for the day, and Little Round Top was
ours. It is true our line, which, in the morning, had
rested on or near the Emmittsburg road, had receded
one-third of a mile, but the enemy had been signally
repulsed ; he was foiled in his plans, and our men
firmly held that natural fortress, Little Round Top.
The front of this our men immediately began to
cover with a network of breastworks, and on the
summit they placed twelve 30-pound Parrott guns.
"When the next morning dawned, it was a second
Gibraltar. The Pennsylvania Reserves, of whom one
company was from our town and county, and fought
in sight of their homes, did most effective service
under General Crawford, and held this strong-hold
for 45 hours, until the close of the battle. The
fighting here ended at 6 J p. M. On this day, the
Rebel General Barksdale fell near Hancock's ex-
treme left.

Scarcely had the tumult of battle ended on our
left, when it was renewed on our right. Previous to
that hour there had been some sharp fighting on
this part of the line, for a short time, but it had
ceased. Ewell, who, it is said, had sworn that he
would take and hold, at all hazards, the hills east
of the Baltimore turnpike, on which our right was
resting, began to mass his men in that vicinity.
Rhodes' division was hurried forward from the west
end of the town to unite with Early's and Johnston's
(then arrived from Carlisle), already near the scene

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 85

of action, and at 7 p. m. Ewell was ready for the
attack. Early attacked that portion of the Eleventh
corps lying on the flank of the northeastern knob
of Cemetery hill, and resting near a stone wall which
extended southward from Houck's brick-yard, for the
purpose of breaking our centre and capturing our
guns. One portion moved obliquely across the brow
of a hill, behind which they were lying, and came
up in front of the wall, whilst another moved up a
low valley stretching from Rock creek along the
northern flank of Culp's hill. To the Louisiana
Tigers was committed the perilous task of making
the charge upon the guns. They dashed forward
with furious determination, and, although they lost
half their men in killed and wounded, some rushed
over the wall up to the cannon, which were then
too hot to be worked, and cried "surrender," but
were beaten off by the gunners with clubs and
stones. If they had been victorious in this charge,
the battle would have been lost to us. But the
enemy was successfully met, slaughtered in great
numbers, and driven back with terrible loss.

Ewell had directed a similar attack to be made,
at the same time, against the Twelfth corps, in the
rear of Culp's hill3 through a valley leading up from
Rock creek towards Spangler's spring. It is pos-
sible that he may have known what force we had
there to oppose him — he may have anticipated that,
during the quiet of that vicinity, Meade had sent a
portion of our men to support those who were
pressed so fearfully on our left, and he consequently
may have felt certain of an easy victory. Two divi-

36 THE REBEL INVASION OF

sions of the Twelfth corps formed our right flank
west of Rock creek; the first, under General WiL
liams, was located near the creek, and the second,
under General Geary, occupied Culp's hill. Only
one brigade, the second, under General Greene, re-
mained of Geary's division, the other two, the first
and third, not having yet returned from the conflict
on our left. The enemy came up under cover of
the forest and approaching darkness, as if to the ac-
complishment of an easy task. "With desperate
courage Green's brigade received them, literally
covering the hills, in front of our works, with the
wounded and dead. The scarred timber in the
vicinity well attests the obstinacy and effectiveness
with which our men fought. The enemy's loss was
fearful— compared with ours, it was eight to one.
In one of our regiments there was only one man
wounded. Never did men fight with greater deter-
mination to be the victors. From 7 to 9 J p. m. the
roar of musketry was continuous, and so terrible as
to make the very earth quake.

But whilst General Greene succeeded, on his part
of the line, in staying and hurling back the advan-
cing columns of the enemy, that part near Span-
gler's spring was left without adequate defence by
the temporary withdrawal of the first and third bri-
gades. There the Rebels were successful in cross-
ing our works, and advancing to a point within a
short distance of the Baltimore turnpike. This
might have proved disastrous to us had it not oc-
curred at so late an hour, and had they not been
apprehensive of falling into a trap if they should

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 37

advance further. With this exception, Thursday
ended with decided advantages to the Union army.
The enemy was finally repulsed on the left, and he
met with heavy losses on both flanks, but especially
in the last charges he had made on our right.

To us, however, who were at the time within the
Rebel lines, the result seemed doubtful ; and gloomy
forebodings filled our minds as we laid ourselves
down to catch, if possible, a little sleep. The un-
earthly yells of the exultant and defiant enemy had,
during the afternoon, been frequently heard even
amidst the almost deafening sounds of exploding
cannon, of screaming and bursting shells, and of
the continuous roar of musketry ; and it seemed to
us, judging from the character and direction of these
mingled noises, that the enemy had been gaining
essentially on our flanks. At about 6 p. m. it is true,
we heard " cheering " different from that which had
so often fallen dolefully upon our ears ; and some of
the Rebels said to each other, " Listen ! the Yankees
are cheering.'' But whilst this — which we afterwards
found to have been the cheering of General Craw-
ford's men, as they charged and drove the Rebels
down the face of Little Round Top — afforded us a
temporary encouragement, the movement of Rhodes'
division, which we saw hurried forward on a " double-
quick" for the purpose of uniting in a combined
attack upon our right centre and flank, the incessant
and prolonged musketry fire, and the gradual cessa-
tion of the reports of our artillery on Cemetery hill,
caused us to fear that our men had been badly beaten,
1 and that our guns had either been captured or driven

38 THE REBEL INVASION OF

back from the advantageous position they had occu-
pied. The battle ceased, and the outer world sank
into "its usual repose;'' but we lay down, not to
sleep, but to indulge in sad and gloomy reflections.
Intensely anxious to know, we had no means of
finding out the relative condition of the two armies;
and, "like drowning men," we were ready "to catch
at straws."

The Rebels returned again to our street at 10 p. m.,
and prepared their supper ; and soon we began to
hope that all was not lost. Some of them expressed
their most earnest indignation at the foreigners — the
Dutchmen — for having shot down so many of their
men. This led us to believe that the Eleventh corps,
— of whom many were foreign Germans, and whom,
on the previous evening, they tauntingly told us they
had met at Chancellorville — had done their duty,
and had nobly redeemed their character. We after-
wards found the explanation of this indignation when
we learned what had taken place that evening, on the
eastern flank of Cemetery- hill. Then again, soon
after this, some were heard to say: "The Yankees
have a good position, and we must drive them out of
it to-morrow." This assured us that our men had
been able to hold their position, and that our lines
were unbroken. There seemed now to be an entire
absence of that elation and boastfulness which they
manifested when they entered the town on the even-
ing of the 1st of July. Still later at night, one said
to another, in tones of great earnestness, "I am very
much discouraged," from which we learned that the
results of the day were not in accordance with their

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 39

high expectations, although they said, during the
evening, they had been driving us on our right and
our left.

Some time after supper, about midnight, nearly
all of those who had returned to town, instead of
lying down to sleep, moved eastward again to our
right. Soon afterwards, some of those who remained
as a guard, and for the purpose of plundering the
houses and cellars of citizens, said to us, " To-mor-
row, Longstreet, who just arrived this evening, and
has not yet been in the fight, will give the Yankees
something to do." Of course this was mere boasting,
for two of Longstreet's divisions had been in position
during the day, and McLaws' was active in the fight.
Only Pickett's division had arrived during the
evening.

There was some readjusting of their lines during
the night. Pickett was placed to the left of Ander-
son and to the right of Heath, and directly opposite
our left centre ; and Rhodes moved his division, at
2 a. M., to join the rest of Swell's corps on our right;
so as to be ready, by the dawn of day, to improve the
temporary advantage he had gained the evening
before, and obtain possession of Culp's hill and then
the Baltimore road. Thus massed, Ewell designed,
like his predecessor, StonewallJackson, to throw his
whole force upon and break our right. This was
the work which it seems was assigned to him to do
on Friday, the 3d of July ; whilst it was made the
duty of Longstreet to perform a similar work on our
left centre. Such was the Rebel programme for the
morrow.

40 THE REBEL INVASION OP

Friday, July 3.

On the previous evening, just as the fighting at
Culp's hill had ceased, a portion of the Twelfth
corps, which had been sent to the left to support
Sickles, returned again to the right. During the
night Shaler's brigade, of the third division of the
Sixth corps, was transferred to the same vicinity,
and to these was also added Lockwood's Maryland
brigade. Such was the preparation on our part to
resist the Rebel shock.

At the dawn of day our artillery opened upon the
Rebels at the point where they had, on the previous
evening, penetrated our lines. At sunrise this was
followed by a general infantry attack. The battle
raged furiously, and was maintained with desperate
obstinacy on both sides. At eight o'clock there was
a cessation for a short time ; after which it was re-
newed with increased earnestness. From 4J to 10|
A. m., with terrible slaughter, our men pushed the
enemy backward, until they drove them over our
breastworks entirely broken to pieces. In this work
of death, a battery of artillery placed on a hill to
the right of the Baltimore turnpike, and some dis-
tance south of the Cemetery, was found to have
performed a prominent part. Shot and shell were
thrown thence over the Twelfth corps, into the re-
tiring enemy. The cannonading lasted for about an
hour and a half. At 10J a. m., the fighting had nearly
ceased on our right, after which it was not renewed
on that part of the line. From 11 a. m. to 1 p. m.
there was a perfect lull, each party apparently waiting

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 41

to see what the other was about to do, and at what
point the attack was to be made.

At seven minutes past 1 p. m., the awful and por-
tentous silence was broken. Probably not less than
150 guns on each side belched forth the missiles of
death, producing such a continuous succession of
crashing sounds as to make us feel as if the very
heavens had been rent asunder — such as were never
equalled by the most terrific thunder-storm ever
witnessed by mortal man. The air was filled with
lines of whizzing, screaming, bursting shells and
solid shot. The enemy had placed his guns on the
hills near the Bonaughtown road, near the York
road, near the Harrisburg road, and on the Seminary
ridge along its whole line to a point beyond Round
Top, so as to subject our artillery on Cemetery hill
to a circle of cross fires, and to enable him to dis-
mount and destroy them. By this means he hoped
to break our front centre ; but in this he was not
successful.

During the day General Lee had reconnoitred our
position from the College cupola — although, being
a hospital, that edifice, by all principles of military
honor, should have been free from every hostile use
— -and had come to the conclusion that our left centre
was the weakest part of our lines. Anderson and
McLaws had failed to turn our left flank on the
previous evening; Ewell had most signally failed in
the morning to take Gulp's hill and turn our right;
and now some other point must be assailed — that
point was the position held by Hancock.

When 2J p. m. came, it witnessed a determined

42 THE REBEL INVASION OF

effort on the part of the enemy to accomplish this
result, so important and desirable to him. At this
time, Pickett's division of Longstreet's corps, con-
sisting of the brigades of Garnett, Kemper, and
Armistead, was seen to emerge from the wooded
crest of the Seminary ridge, just to the south of
McMillan's orchard, and to move in two long, dark,
massive lines, over the plain towards our left centre.
This division was supported on the left by Pettigrew's
brigade of Heath's division, and on the right by
Wright's and Wilcox's brigades of Anderson's divi-
sion. When this mass of men had moved over about
one-third of the space between the two opposing
lines, our batteries, placed in a grove near Bryan's
house, opened upon them, and threw shells and
grape into the advancing column; now for a few
moments they seemed to hesitate ; then, with a ter-
rific yell, they rushed forward. In a few moments
a tremendous roar, proceeding from the simultaneous
discharge from thousands of muskets and rifles, shook
the earth ; then, in the portion of the line nearest us,
a few, then more, and then still more Rebels, in all
to the number of about two hundred, were seen
moving backwards towards the point from which
they had so defiantly proceeded ; and at last two or
three men carrying a single battle-flag, which they
had saved from capture, and several officers on horse-
back, followed the fugitives. The wounded and dead
were seen strewn amongst the grass and grain ; men
with stretchers stealthily picking up and carrying the
former to the rear ; and officers for a moment con-
templating the scene with evident amazement, and

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 43

riding rapidly towards the Seminary ridge. Our men
having quietly waited until the Rebels came to the
Emmittsburg road, poured a deadly fire into them,
and cut them down like grass before the mower's
scythe. The rank and file had been made to believe
that they were making this charge upon the Penn-
sylvania militia; but their delusion was now broken,
and in surprise they exclaimed, " The Army of the
Potomac ! " But still they pressed onward. General
Gibbon had ordered his men to fallback, to enable the
artillery to use grape. The enemy came up to the
cannon's mouth, and were blown away or cut down
by hundreds. Seeing them waver, General Webb
cried out, "Boys, the enemy is ours !" and his bri-
gade rushed upon them and captured 800 prisoners;
Stannard's brigade took as many more; and still
others were captured, swelling the number of pris-
oners to 3,500. Fifteen stands of colors were taken.
So sudden and complete was the slaughter and cap-
ture of nearly all of Pickett's men, that one of his
officers who fell wounded amongst the first on the
Emmittsburg road, and who characterized the charge
as foolish and mad, said that when, in a few moments
afterwards, he was enabled to rise and look about
him, the whole division had disappeared as if blown
away by the wind. In this charge, two of our Gen-
erals, Hancock and Gibbon, were wounded. Of the
Rebels, Kemper was seriously wounded, Armistead
mortally, and Garnett was killed.

But whilst these things were in progress, we must
not suppose that the enemy was inactive on his ex-
treme right. He showed considerable signs of vigor

44 THE REBEL INVASION OF

opposite Little Round Top. Hood's division was
trying all the afternoon what success they might
meet with in driving our men from that strong-
hold and turning our flank. To complete our vic-
tory on our whole line, the Pennsylvania Reserves
were called upon to make a charge upon a battery
which the enemy had been using to annoy them,
placed on the hill just in front, and from which
they had been driven the evening before. Our men
took the battery, 300 prisoners, and 5000 stand of
arms, and drove the enemy half a mile beyond the
line they had occupied during the day. This took
place about 5 p. m., and with it ended the battle of
Gettysburg.

At that time the enemy began to exhibit signs of
uneasiness and fear. They gathered up the wounded
and sent them to the rear as fast as possible. They
now feared that our men would make a dash upon
them, a thing for which they evidently had no very
great relish. They said to us, " The Yankees in-
tend, this evening, to charge upon us in the streets;"
and when asked upon what authority they spoke,
they only answered that they knew that such was to
be the case, being evidently influenced by their
fears. Apprehensive of such a result, they took a
hasty supper, and, about midnight, formed in two
ranks, and were under arms, as if awaiting a charge.

The third day closed, leaving them in a condition
far different from that in which they entered the town
on the evening of the first. They came in exultant,
and flushed with victory. They were in a good
fighting condition ; had an easy day's work ; had

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 45

killed, wounded and captured many of our men, and
had lost a far smaller number of their men; and
there were as yet only two of our corps to oppose
them. The first was the day of their triumph ; the
second ended without securing them any decided
advantage — it was rather ominous of disaster, yet
they were hopeful; but the third closed, leaving
them repulsed at every point, not only showing the*
futility of any further attempt to carry any portion
of our lines, or of doing us any serious damage, but
the probability of a disastrous result, should our
men, as they feared, act on the offensive.

Lee could therefore do no better than hastily
remove E well's division from its exposed position in
the town and the hills southeast of it, under cover of
which he lay, and place them behind his defences
on the Seminary ridge. Accordingly, by 3 a. m. of
the 4th, all the Eebels had been withdrawn from
the town and placed in the rear of that ridge, where,
during the day, they occupied some time in
strengthening their breastworks and preparing for
an assault. This was, however, no doubt done as a
precautionary measure, to enable their rear, if neces-
sary, to make an obstinate resistance, while the
main body of the. army was retreating. In fact,
there is sufficient evidence that Lee's retreat began
soon after the night of the 3d had set in, and that
he was hurrying his wounded, his stores, his ammu-
nition and wagon train forward all night and
all Saturday (the 4th) by the two roads leading
to the Cumberland Valley ; the one by the Chani-
bersburg turnpike, as far as to Greenwood, and

46 THE REBEL INVASION OF

thence towards Waynesboro'; and the other, directly
towards the latter point and Hagerstown. After
the experience of Friday, the 3d, the retreat from
Gettysburg and from the presence of General
Meade's army became to General Lee a military
necessity ; and as Sunday dawned upon us, only a
few Rebel pickets remained in this region of coun-
try, unless we except the multitudes of stragglers
from his army, and a larger number of his wounded,
which were literally emptied out of his wagons into
farm-houses and barns in his hasty retreat.

This battle of three days will compare, in magni-
tude and far-reaching consequences, with any of the
great battles of modern times. In the battle of
Waterloo, the Allies had 72,000, the French 80,000
men; in this the Rebels had 90,000, the Federals
about 60,000 men. The British had 186 cannon,
the French 252 ; the Rebels had upwards of 200,
and we an equal number. The Allies lost 20,000
in killed and wounded ; the French 40,000 in killed,
wounded, prisoners and deserters ; the Federals lost
about 4,000 killed, 12,000 wounded, and 4,000 pri-
soners, or, in all, about 20,000; whilst the Rebels
lost 5,500 killed, 21,000 wounded, 9,000 prisoners,
and 4,000 stragglers and deserters, or a total of about
40,000. The proportion of men and of losses, in
both battles, is nearly the same. The battle of
"Waterloo resulted in effectually crushing the power
of Napoleon and the grinding despotism that he was
exercising over Europe. It broke to pieces that
army in whose track followed desolation and famine,
and whose final triumph must have resulted in the

MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA. 47

destruction of all the then existing governments of
the civilized world. The battle of Gettysburg re-
sulted, first, in checking the progress and then in
destroying the power of a well-disciplined and de
fiant army, which had come to the North for the
express purpose of robbery and of spreading terror
and desolation in its track, and, by the capture of
Baltimore and "Washington, of dictating to us the
most humiliating terms of peace. The sway of
Napoleon over subject Europe would not have been
more tyrannical and destructive of the vital interests
of the people, than would have been the establish-
ment, by a decisive victory of Lee, of an overbearing
slave-power as a controlling influence in our coun-
try. The fall of Vicksburg and of Port Hudson,
which followed immediately after the battle of Get-
tysburg, though of the highest importance to the
country, is, nevertheless, not equal in its influence
to the breaking of the power of an army which was
striking a blow at the heart of the nation. In the
defeat, therefore, of Lee the corner-stone of that
fabric, which the rebellion sought to erect on human
bondage and the distinction of the races of men,
which God has made of one blood, is crushed to
pieces, and the bright days of a happy future loom
up before our vision, when we shall once more be a
united and prosperous people.

THE END.

No. - Sect, *& ' Shelf /

CONTENTS

Lincoln National Life Foundation
Collateral Lincoln Library

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